Tuesday, February 13, 2024

Stone Telling - s/t (1994, Network Sound)

Some mixed feelings on this one, which I've flirted with sharing almost since I started this page in 2007. So what took so long?  Not quite sure, perhaps the timing.  Stone Telling sound a bit dated three decades after the fact.  Too melodic and accessible for straight-up hardcore, yet thematically, too contemplative and thoughtful to label pop-punk...albeit not any obvious stripe of emo either. With a somewhat regrettably over-processed guitar tincture this Southern Cali quartet slotted in sonically with Dag Nasty circa Field Day with less memorable songs and no bona-fide anthems to speak ok. That said, this is still a genuinely consistent listen, and these fellows exude little to be embarrassed of.  Go into this with measured expectations, and if you're anything like me you might come away from it pleasantly surprised.

01. Disappear Here
02. Easy
03. Reach
04. Almost Again
05. For Times
06. Always
07. Nothing Lasts
08. Shine
09. Every Breath

3 comments:

Neal said...

Shine is still a jam. Check out Freewill "Sun Return" for the original, slightly rougher version of this album, before they re-recorded a couple things and released it as this Stone Telling album.

Mike said...

Thanks, been looking for this since I got into Freewill a few years ago. Saw the reformed Freewill open for Verbal Assault last year... surprisingly good live after all these years.

spavid said...

Wasn't aware that there was a band that pre-dated Stone Telling. Thanks for enlightening me guys.